I can go days without remembering to floss or use sunscreen or even fill up my petrol tank, but I never, ever forget my caffeine fix. My morning cup of coffee – or jug depending on the previous night’s events –is a daily ritual that has become mandatory to my survival. And, I love it: the sound of the grinder as it pulverises that day’s beans, the smell of the coffee as it brews, the warmth of the mug in my hands and the feeling of the hot liquid as slides down my throat filling me with warmth and overall happiness. But as a busy, over scheduled and sleep-deprived woman, I not only inject my caffeine via morning cups of coffee, my days are also filled with diet soda, tea, the occasional energy drink and of course chocolate. I admit it, I’m a caffeine fanatic. But, is that really such a bad thing?

Usually I don’t even pause to think about the possible side effects of my caffeine consumption, I just enjoy the taste and the little kick it gives me. But today, as I sat down with my third cup of java, I started thinking about caffeine and whether, perhaps, I should be concerned. So I did a little research.


Of course you can usually find information to support just about any opinion you may have, but it turns out there is overwhelming evidence that caffeine is actually pretty good for you. Once maligned as a cancer causing, health-depleting, mind-altering drug, science has shown that moderate caffeine intake is beneficial. In fact, caffeine consumption has been given the green light by the International Food Information Council, Health Canada, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, The CDC, the Association of Women’s Health, the European Food Information Council and Starbucks baristas the world over.

So then is the old adage true, if it won’t kill us, will it make us stronger? There is some evidence to support this notion. According to the WebMD website, “At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.” The website goes on to say that caffeine may help manage asthma, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities. Can I get it to do my laundry?

On the flip side, there is plenty of data that shows caffeine can cause irritability, headaches, diarrhea, frequent urination and nervousness. But overall, most health professionals agree that moderate caffeine consumption can be a safe and somewhat advantageous part of our daily routine. So, I guess the question is, how much is considered moderate?

Experts say 200–300 mg of caffeine a day is a “moderate” amount for adults, which translates to approximately three, 235 ml cups of coffee. However, the variability in the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee or tea is relatively large even if prepared by the same person using the same equipment and ingredients day after day.

So my suggestion, from one harried woman to another, is to drink (or eat) enough caffeine so you feel good, alert and productive, but not so much that you start to vibrate. You need to find the balance and determine what is moderate for you.

Up next…Sleep: Glorious relief from a stressful day or Major time waster?

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